Latest news with #C130JHercules
RNZ News
11 hours ago
- RNZ News
Watch: US Air Force's largest plane lands in Auckland to make special delivery
The United States Air Force's largest plane has touched down at Auckland's Whenuapai air base with special cargo. The C-5M Super Galaxy landed on Wednesday night to deliver components for a new C-130J Hercules simulator. Main roads around Whenuapai were gridlocked with spectators who watched it land. An RNZ video journalist at the scene estimated there were at least 150 people watching. The aircraft had a wingspan of 67.89 metres and a maximum takeoff weight of just over 381 tonnes. In December the last of five new C-130J Hercules arrived in New Zealand to replace the C-130H Hercules that had been the workhorse of the Royal New Zealand Air Force for 60 years. The simulator will train air and ground crews operating the new planes and provide a safe and secure space for pilot training. An integrated project team, led by the Ministry of Defence, had been working with the US Air Force, Canadian technology company CAE USA and Lockheed Martin to deliver the simulator to the New Zealand Defence Force The simulator parts will be unloaded on Thursday, with a second delivery expected in due course. NZDF said the technology would be ready for use next year. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
21 hours ago
- RNZ News
US Air Force's largest plane set for special cargo delivery in Auckland
A US Air Force C-5M Super Galaxy transport aircraft at Seoul Air Base on October 17, 2023 in Seongnam, South Korea. Photo: AFP / NurPhoto / Chris Jung *This story has been corrected to say there is one US plane coming, not two. The United States Air Force's largest plane is to land at Auckland's Whenuapai air base with special cargo. A C-5M Super Galaxy will touch down in New Zealand on Wednesday to deliver components for a new C-130J Hercules simulator. The aircraft has a wingspan of 67.89 metres and a maximum takeoff weight of just over 381 tonnes. In December the last of five new C-130J Hercules arrived in New Zealand to replace the C-130H Hercules that had been the workhorse of the Royal New Zealand Air Force for 60 years. The simulator will train air and ground crews operating the new planes and provide a safe and secure space for pilot training. An integrated project team, led by the Ministry of Defence, had been working with the US Air Force, Canadian technology company CAE USA and Lockheed Martin to deliver the simulator to the New Zealand Defence Force The simulator parts will be unloaded on Thursday, with a second delivery expected in due course. NZDF said the technology would be ready for use next year. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Two of US Air Force's largest planes set for special cargo delivery in Auckland
A US Air Force C-5M Super Galaxy transport aircraft at Seoul Air Base on October 17, 2023 in Seongnam, South Korea. Photo: AFP / NurPhoto / Chris Jung Two of the United States Air Force's largest planes will land in Auckland's Whenuapai air base over the coming days with special cargo. A C-5M Super Galaxy will touch down in New Zealand on Wednesday and another one will land tomorrow to deliver components for a new C-130J Hercules simulator. The aircraft have a wingspan of 67.89 metres and have a maximum takeoff weight of just over 381 tonnes. In December the last of five new C-130J Hercules arrived in New Zealand to replace the C-130H Hercules that had been the workhorse of the Royal New Zealand Air Force for 60 years. The simulator will train air and ground crews operating the new planes and provide a safe and secure space for pilot training. An integrated project team, led by the Ministry of Defence, had been working with the US Air Force, Canadian technology company CAE USA and Lockheed Martin to deliver the simulator to the New Zealand Defence Force The simulator parts will be unloaded on Thursday, with the technology ready for use next year.
The Guardian
06-08-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
US research station staff evacuated from Antarctica in high-risk operation
The New Zealand air force has evacuated three people from a US research base in Antarctica in a high-risk operation that required navigating through extreme weather and round-the-clock darkness. The air force said on Wednesday the United National Science Foundation requested a medical evacuation for three of its staff members based at the McMurdo Station, one of whom needed urgent medical care. The crew of the C-130J Hercules flew on Tuesday afternoon, working through the night to complete the mission, the air force said. Between March to October, Antarctica is plunged into constant night and can experience dangerous storms. Temperatures at the McMurdo Station fell to -24C on Tuesday. Travel to the icy continent during this period is restricted to emergencies, with crews having to navigate extreme conditions, changing weather and landing on ice. Mid-winter flights to Antarctic are one of the most challenging operations the air force perform, said air commodore Andy Scott. The US team had to clear a runway and ensure the ice was 'groomed and suitable for landing', before the flight could depart New Zealand, Scott said. 'Although they determine it is safe, it's still an extremely challenging environment to fly in on night vision goggles due to the extreme weather conditions, which are highly changeable at this time of year and makes accurate forecasting a challenge,' he said. 'This, coupled with there being no airfields available to divert to once the aircraft is past a certain point south adds to the risk, so these missions are not taken lightly.' Once on the ice, the plane's engines are kept running to keep them warm while it is refuelled, known as 'hot refuelling'. The Hercules flew to Antarctica with a doctor on board to care for the patients during the flight. The plane landed back in Christchurch on Wednesday morning, after a 19.5 hour round trip. In a statement, the US embassy expressed its 'deep appreciation' to the air force. 'This mission wasn't just difficult; it was one of the most technically demanding operations an aircrew can face,' said Melissa Sweeney, the US chargé d'affaires in New Zealand. 'This required absolute precision … This is the kind of mission that tests every ounce of skill and bravery,' Sweeney added.
The Guardian
06-08-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
US research station staff evacuated from Antarctica in high-risk operation
The New Zealand air force has evacuated three people from a US research base in Antarctica in a high-risk operation that required navigating through extreme weather and round-the-clock darkness. The air force said on Wednesday the United National Science Foundation requested a medical evacuation for three of its staff members based at the McMurdo Station, one of whom needed urgent medical care. The crew of the C-130J Hercules flew on Tuesday afternoon, working through the night to complete the mission, the air force said. Between March to October, Antarctica is plunged into constant night and can experience dangerous storms. Temperatures at the McMurdo Station fell to -24C on Tuesday. Travel to the icy continent during this period is restricted to emergencies, with crews having to navigate extreme conditions, changing weather and landing on ice. Mid-winter flights to Antarctic are one of the most challenging operations the air force perform, said air commodore Andy Scott. The US team had to clear a runway and ensure the ice was 'groomed and suitable for landing', before the flight could depart New Zealand, Scott said. 'Although they determine it is safe, it's still an extremely challenging environment to fly in on night vision goggles due to the extreme weather conditions, which are highly changeable at this time of year and makes accurate forecasting a challenge,' he said. 'This, coupled with there being no airfields available to divert to once the aircraft is past a certain point south adds to the risk, so these missions are not taken lightly.' Once on the ice, the plane's engines are kept running to keep them warm while it is refuelled, known as 'hot refuelling'. The Hercules flew to Antarctica with a doctor on board to care for the patients during the flight. The plane landed back in Christchurch on Wednesday morning, after a 19.5 hour round trip. In a statement, the US embassy expressed its 'deep appreciation' to the air force. 'This mission wasn't just difficult; it was one of the most technically demanding operations an aircrew can face,' said Melissa Sweeney, the US chargé d'affaires in New Zealand. 'This required absolute precision … This is the kind of mission that tests every ounce of skill and bravery,' Sweeney added.
